Press for tennis rackets and the like



Sept. .23. 1924. 1,509,689

- W. F. REACH PRESS FOR TENNIS RACKETS ANDTHE LIKE Filed D90. 24, I923 :55 F3 INVENTOR Patented Sept. 23, 1924..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. REACH, OF CHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO A. G. SPALLDING 8t BROS OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATIQN OF NEW JERSEY.

PRESS FOR TENNIS BACKE'I'S AND THE LIKE.

Application filed December 24, 1923. Serial No. 682,387.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, lVILLIAM F. REACH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohioopee, in the State of Massachusetts, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Presses for Tennis Rackets and the like, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to a tennis racket press and more particularly to improvements therein which will render the press highly efficient in use and simple in construction.

The invention has for an object the pro vision of a tennis racket press which will be of such construction that the racket may be readily placed therein or removed as desired by simply releasing one corner of the press thereby making it unnecessary to open the entire press or disconnect. the opposite frames thereof. It has heretofore been proposed to permit the release of one corner of the press by pivoting the usual bolt at that corner in one of the clamping frames and forming the co-operating frame with a slot into which the bolt may be swung to engage that frame by means of the winged nut threaded on the bolt.

The present invention is considerably simplified over previous means for releasing one corner of the press since there is no pivoted joint to complicate the manufacture of the frame and no slot extends into the side of the cooperating frame for an appreciable distance to weaken that member.

According to the present invent-ion one of the clamping frames is provided with an aperture at one corner thereof of a diameter suiiicient to permit the passage of the shank of the bolt but insuflicient to permit the passsage of the head thereof, while the co-operating frame is provided with an aperture in register with the first mentioned aperture which is of a diameter sufficient to permit the passage of the head of the bolt, means being provided on the co-operating clamping frame to engage the head of the bolt and prevent its withdrawal through the aperture of larger diameter. Such means may conveniently take the form of a slide having one end bifurcated to engage the shank of the bolt beneath its head.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described more fully with refer in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views 4L and 5 indicate the frames of the press which are of rectangular form and similarly constructed of wood, as disclosed, or from any other suitable or preferred ma terial. The frames are preferably formed of side members some of which are provided at their ends with mortises 6, while other frame members are formed with tenons 7 fitting in the mortises 6. The frame members are all rounded at their ends to present rounded corners 8 for the frames. At the corners, the frames are connected in parallel relationship by bolts 9 passing through reg-istering apertures in thetwo frames and hearing on the outer side of one frame by means of the head 10 and on the opposite side of the other frame by means of the winged nuts 11 or the like. Expansion springs 12 are positioned upon three of the bolts 9 to press outwardly upon the frames 4 and 5 and re siliently retain them in spaced relation. At the remaining corner of the frames 4 and 5, they are provided with connecting means which can be readily disassociated to facilitate the withdrawal or insertion of a tennis racket. To this end one of the frames, say 4, is formed with an aperture 13 of a diameter sufficient to receive the shank of the bolt but insufficient to permit the passage of the head 10 therethrough. The other frame. say 5, is provided with an aperture 14 in register with 13 but of a diameter insufficient to permit the passage of the head 10 therethrough. In order to retain the bolt in the position indicated in Figure 2, means are carried with frame 5 to engage the bolt and prevent the passage of the head 10 through the aperture 1 1. This means may conveniently take the form of a bifurcated mem- I frame member 5, a portion of the shank adjacent the head 10 may, if desired, be formed with a rectangular cross section as indicated at 21 inFigures 2 and 3. This construction is particularly advantageous since by making the inner sides of the bifurcated end 20 of the slide 15 substantially parallel, such bifurcated end when engaging the shank portion 21 prevents the rotation of the bolt when the winged nut 11 is turned. It will be obvious that means other than the slide 15 might be provided to engage the shank of the bolt. For instance, hook-shaped member might be substituted for the slide and when I pivoted to the frame 5 could be swung in a plane parallel to the frame into engaging position beneaththe head 10.

It is believed thatthe complete construction and operation of the press will now be apparent from the fb'r'egoinlg description taken in coni'ie'ction with the accompanying drawings. The operation may be briefly set forth as follows: When it is desired to place a 'tennisracket within the press or to remove the tennis racket, the winged nuts 11 are rotated to permit the separation of the frames 4 and 5 under influence of the springs 12. The bolt 9 at the corner provided with the aperture 14 of increased diameter should then be released by movement of the slide 15 and the bolt withdrawn to the position indicated in Figure 3 to pro- Vide a clearance for the passage of the racket. After the racket has been placed within the press or removed, the head 10 of bolt 9 may be passed through aperture 14 to the position indicated in Figure 2 and slide 15 moved to engage the head of the bolt. To draw the frames 1 and 5 together into clamping relationship with the racket, it is then only necessary to take up on the bolts at all four corners by means of the Winged nuts 11. It is therefore evident that any corner or side of the frames 1 and 5 may be tightened or tensioned upon the racket or other member within the press, independent of the remaining corners or sides of the frame. Furthermore, it is evident that the racket may be readily inserted, adjusted in or removed from the press without the necessity of disconnecting completely the frames it and 5. It is also evident that the use of the press need not be limited to tennisrackets.

WVhile the preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that changes may be resorted to in the bolt and engaging means without departing from the spirit of the invention and no limitation is intended other than as indicated in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a press, co-operating frames, means to connect said frames, one of said frames being formed with an aperture, a bolt passing through said aperture and having, a head of greater diameter than the diameter of the aperture, said co-operuting frame being formed with an aperture in register with said first mentioned aperture and of a diameter suliicient to permit the passage of the head of the bolt and means carried with said second mentioned frame to engage the bolt.

2. In a press, two co-operating clamping frames, means to connect said frames, one of said frames being formed with an aperture, a bolt passing through said aperture and having a head of a diameter greater than the diameter of said aperture, a co-operating f 'ame formed with an aperture in register with said first mentioned aperture and of a diameter sufficient to permit the passage of the head of the bolt, and a slide carried with said last mentioned frame and formed with a bifurcated end to engage the 'bolt.

3. In a press, co-operating frames, means to connect said frames, one of said frames being formed with an aperture, a bolt pass ing through said aperture and having a head of greater diameter than the diameter of the aperture, a co-operating frame formed with an aperture in register with the first mentioned aperture and of a diameter su'fiicient to permit the passage of the head of the bolt, a member carried with said last mentioned clamping member and formed with a slot of a diameter suflicient to permit the passage of the shank of the bolt but of less diameter than the head of the bolt.

4. In a press, co-opcrating frames, one of said frames being formed with an aperture, a bolt passing through the aperture and formed with a head of greater diameter than the diameter of the aperture, and a shank portion of rectangular cross section adjacent said head, a (re-operating frame formed with an aperture in register with said first mentioned aperture and of a diameter sufiicient to permit the mssuge of the head of the bolt, a slide formed with a bifurcated end having parallel sides to engage the rectangular portion of the shank of the bolt, and means to retain the slide in sliding relationship with said frame memliier.

This specification signed this 20th day of December A. D. 1923.

WILLIAM F. R 1A (.H. 

